


Reflections

by surrealism



Category: One Piece
Genre: Akuma no Mi | Devil Fruit, Body Worship, M/M, Porn with Feelings, Tender Sex, soft smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 12:48:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29792148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/surrealism/pseuds/surrealism
Summary: Nothing could take away the black that chased him in every surface, swallowing everything including his hope to separate from the truth.He was Roger’s child and was not meant to be treated so kindly.
Relationships: Fushichou Marco | Phoenix Marco/Portgas D. Ace
Comments: 8
Kudos: 57





	Reflections

**Author's Note:**

> So. Hi! This is my first time ever writing this pairing but boy I hope to do more of it. This kind of came to me after I listened to "Take me to Church" by Hozier and I wanted to explore a little bit of their relationship through that. I hope you enjoy it!

They’re the same.

_“You and pops butted heads every chance you got.”_

Ace held up a finger, fire illuminated on the tip as the other held a compact that reflected the scant light back at him.

_“Fighting like cats and dogs, I’d say.”_

Seeing his own face in the little mirror was a game that Ace played far too often on nights like this. The flickers of the flames would bring something new each time he gathered the courage to look at himself, committing some of it to memory and rejecting the rest as he saw fit.

_“Reminds me of another rival of his!”_

It was a gamble when Ace chose to study his features. There were things he would always remember: Freckles. Thick eyebrows. Eyes downturned and filled with passing exhaustion and weight he wouldn’t carry anywhere else. He liked those things about himself despite how little he tried to admire them.

_“Except he was actually worth the time and effort, haha!”_

But there were some things that didn’t reflect in a mirror. Dark things that avoided the light and escaped the way it’s hands would throw them back. Still, it didn’t matter. Ace knew too well that even when he tried to stay away from the outward resemblances, other parts of him would still drag forward little comparisons that others were quick to point out.

_“You’re right! If I didn’t know any better, I would think – “_

“You’re not coming to dinner?”

Ace cursed under his breath as he lost his grip on the compact, the sounds of glass shattering to the ship floor echoing in the empty space. He rubbed his hands against his eyes hastily as he felt the familiar sting of tears on his cheeks when he’d gotten too far into his ruminations. How long he had been sitting in his room was lost on him. Now, the need to do damage control was evident in the first division commander standing in his doorway.

“Marco? Hey, I’m going to be out in a minute. Sorry.” Ace said, hearing the way his voice faltered behind his calm façade as looking at Marco no longer became an option. Ace searched desperately for a distraction, pulling his feet up in the bed and adjusting the sheets while he waited for the sound of the door opening and closing in retreat.

A moment passed before the room fell into shuffles of fabric against footsteps and Ace realized quickly that he wouldn’t be left alone.

“I brought your food, actually. Is everything alright?”

The question came with a tray of food pushed between Ace and the pillow he spent far too long readjusting. His own attempt to wallow was quickly pushed aside as the hunger set in and he couldn’t help but accept the gesture as Marco sat down on the bed next to him. He picked up the bread and took a bite, hoping that the sounds of chewing would drown out the sniffles as his devil fruit proved useless against tears leaking out.

“I’m fine, what do you want?” Ace asked, his tone harsher than he anticipated but if the ends justified the means, he didn’t care. He could see the sandals sitting between shards of glass as Marco took his place next to him, a perfect metaphor for their current state and he went back to focusing more on the lukewarm food.

“I just came to check on you. I was worried about you, you know.”

Ace stuffed a piece of meat into his mouth as he tried to drown his sorrows in food, a method that hardly failed him before and one that meant he didn’t have to explain himself to the older man watching him carefully. He didn’t want to talk about it, not when it came to all of his hang-ups about his life and how easily he could fall into terrible thoughts at even a passing joke about his father.

“Well,” Ace swallowed, finishing the meal quickly and washing down the huge bite with a gulp of water, “You don’t have to worry about me. I’m just having a rough night.”

He looked up at the older man who narrowed his eyes, clearly unconvinced at the excuse and he opened his mouth as if to say something before closing it again.

“…okay.”

Ace took another drink of water as Marco grabbed the tray and placed it gingerly on the floor, the younger watching him closely as the emotional fatigue took hold. It was the sort of emptiness that left him wanting to take advantage of the kindness being shown to him, a pattern he had repeated once before though Marco hardly brought it up.

Well, as if there was anything TO speak of. Last week, when stress and self-doubt had reared their ugly heads on Ace, he found that the best way to distract himself was to let his longstanding crush become a public display of affection. Marco had suddenly become the prey to a very flirtatious second commander, and the night was spent trying to gently put him down. It was a courting affair that had some crew members curiously waiting to see the outcome while others openly bet on which of them would cave.

Tense moments passed with neither of them bending to the other, ending in Ace getting frustrated and leaving in a surrender that Marco seemed to welcome.

That was, until later that night when Ace would find the older man in his quarters to mend the rift between them. Somewhere, their talk would turn into a confession and they ended up closing that gap in ways that would only be spoken about in hushed tones in empty halls.

It was the first and last time Ace had opened himself up. He had convinced himself that being laid bare like that was not worth the additional investment of another person, and neither of them had attempted to cross that barrier since. He grimaced into the cup as Marco looked up at him, their eyes meeting briefly before Ace looked away.

“If you want to be left alone, I can go.” Marco said, the tone carrying the silent demand of more information and Ace ignoring it with a tilt of his cup despite it being empty. He didn’t want to be alone, not anymore with the thoughts that threatened to drain him past the point of no return.

But staying here with Marco would be a different challenge completely.

Suddenly, Ace was constructing whatever sentence he thought would sound the least desperate. Lost in his thoughts, he didn’t notice when they room had fallen into silence once more in something Marco would take as a sign.

“…Message received. Well, if you decide to come join us out on the deck, you know you’re always welcome.”

With that, Marco stood up to leave and Ace found himself abandoning all strategy for an aggressive signal of his own as he grabbed onto Marco’s wrist, pulling him backwards onto the bed. It wasn’t perfect – the two of them would reorient in a clumsy scuffle before Ace was on top of him, chest heaving from adrenaline with Marco doing the same. So many things were running through Ace’s mind as he stared at the man below him –

What he was doing, why was Marco here, how would he –

Ace shook his head as he caught himself. Too much thinking, that’s what got him here in the first place.

He moved purely on instinct, leaning down to capture Marco’s mouth with his own and feeling the older man tense up against him before relaxing into his lips, letting himself open for teeth and tongue to scrape against one another. The kiss was hurried, Ace’s impatience to shed himself of the emotional baggage becoming obvious to Marco who reached out a hand searching for a lifeline.

“Ace – wait, what’s go –” Marco tried to protest between successful breaks of the kiss, gulping air with Ace not giving him an opportunity to ask more questions. If Marco was going to come in here, prodding and making him aware of his own feelings, then the least he could do was take responsibility.

“Shut up.” Ace growled against Marco’s mouth in a directive that seemed to do the opposite, more strangled protests sounding off as they crawled towards surrender in a weak groan. The kiss would evolve into sighs of appreciation as Marco let himself be devoured with Ace’s tongue roaming greedily while hands fumbled with the buttons on his shirt.

Anticipation was settling neatly in Ace’s stomach as he thought of what was to come. He wouldn’t entertain talking when it came to the gulf in his emotional vs physical state, instead opting to let it all focus on the physical. He didn’t need the empty words of encouragement or sympathy, just the feeling of being used for mutual pleasure and release.

Right now, that was the only thing he could get behind.

Ace inhaled sharply as he felt the last button come undone, warm skin under his palms that set off little bells in his mind as he saw the finish line start to materialize. It was impossible to ignore the tightening of his shorts as his fingertips dragged along the angles and grooves of muscle underneath, feeling an arm slide up his back and nails dig into his hips as Marco reacted positively to the touch.

Or so he thought.

Ace’s excitement at the idea of victory had left him at a disadvantage and it would become clear once he felt Marco shift underneath him. He groaned as Marco pulled him close, their groins rubbing together and the older man using that leverage to pull himself upwards and take Ace into his arms. The tides had turned quickly against the younger who was now on equal footing with his prey and he was quick to voice his displeasure.

“Marco! Hey, what are you –” Ace began, breathless from the arousal still curling in his stomach and doing little to hide his eagerness to continue.

“What’s gotten into you?” Marco asked, his voice steady in a stark contrast that made Ace wonder if he was the only one riled up right now. Ace let out an annoyed huff as Marco still held him by the hip, a grip that was meant to give him little opportunity to escape, the other arm crawling up his spine in a perfect distraction from the demand of information.

“Nothing, I – _shit_ – I thought you came to comfort me, yeah?”

Ace gave a breathless laugh as he tried to grind his hips downwards in a movement that was rough and uncoordinated in the older man’s hands, excitement dying in their awkward embrace and only making him more frustrated. Marco clearly wasn’t in the mood and now Ace had walked into some emotional beartrap.

He needed to get out, fast.

“Ah, if you’re not into it then we can just forget this ever happened. No harm, No foul?” Ace said sheepishly, trying to reason with his captor and figure out his options for recourse. Marco merely made an unconvinced hum as he pulled Ace closer, their chests coming together and giving Ace the chance to feel two different heartbeats thrum against his skin.

How Marco was still so fucking calm was beyond him.

“You acted like this the last time too. And just like the last time, you wouldn’t tell me anything.” Marco said, a hint of exasperation in his voice as his hand passed the nape of Ace’s neck and knuckles brushed against the tips of his hair.

What was he –

Ace gasped as he felt the calloused hand card gently through his hair, the same hair that mocked him in the mirror with its reminders of his lineage. There were so many things he had taken from others who made him who he was – last names, a tattoo on his back, family he found through shared sake cups and hastily tied bonds that stretched to the bottom of the ocean.

Things he wanted to look at that would say _Ace_ right back at him.

But nothing could take away the black that chased him in every surface, swallowing everything including his hope to separate from the truth.

He was Roger’s child and was not meant to be treated so kindly.

“Marco.” Ace said firmly, tone full of warning as he struggled in the grip of the older man who didn’t falter but instead continued his movement. The touch against his scalp spoke words of gentle affirmation that he wouldn’t hear and made his stomach turn with ease. Whatever Marco was hoping to accomplish with this only confused Ace more and anger quickly came to take its place.

“You – Hey!” He hissed, his attempts to break free becoming more earnest and Marco’s resistance meeting him every step of the way. Ace wasn’t in a position to fight back, not with his hands or with brute strength alone anyways, and he gave a huff of disbelief at the situation.

“Are you fucking with me right now? You know I can just –”

Ace grit his teeth as he focused, the room temperature erupting into blind heat and light as he turned into fire, flickers flying into the empty space around them as he started to stretch himself into the wispy form.

Marco’s hold on him faltered and Ace grinned as he felt victorious once more, the moment short lived as the arms around him kept their positions with ease. Confusion mounted before the realization dawned on him.

Right.

Ace squeezed his eyes shut as he remembered Haki existed and he could see the window of opportunity slam shut. No matter, the least he could do was make this as uncomfortable for Marco as Marco insisted on making it for him. Ace let his hair turn into fire under those rough fingertips, images of that hand recoiling in a proper consequence making him giddy despite himself.

He looked up into the flames, the light from his hair making it easy for him to see his captors face and the subsequent results of his efforts before he noticed the familiar blue peek into his vision. Marco had coated his hand in those phoenix feathers, protecting himself in a move that made Ace feel even sillier as each move was countered.

The two of them sat in silence, opposite yet similar fires burning against one another as Ace went limp in Marco’s arms, exhausted of all of his options and drawing an amused huff from Marco.

“I can’t believe an idiot like you is in love with me.” Marco said, malice absent in his tone as the cool wisps continued against Ace’s own burning hot ones.

“Fuck you.” Ace spat, relaxing into the touch as Marco continued and the bright light dimmed when his hair turned back into something tangible. It was becoming obvious to Ace that he wasn’t going to get out of this and putting up with it seemed to be the best option. Closing his eyes, Ace listened to the sounds of breathing as he tried to ignore the feeling of fingers tangling in those black locks.

If he were a less vain person, Ace would have shaved his head to prevent the opportunity for this sort of moment to arrive. Just cut the last string and be done with it. Marco was paying extra attention to his head and hair as if it were a grounding tool, keeping him safe as he tried to work through everything else.

Ace wouldn’t admit it out loud, but it wasn’t a _completely_ awful feeling to have his hair played with like this.

“So…what, you’re just going to pet me like a dog all night?” Ace grumbled, balling fabric into his fists, and curling into Marco as he begrudgingly accepted the touch.

“You didn’t come to dinner and it’s obvious you’ve been crying in here. Are you going to talk about it?” Marco asked, punctuating his question with a firm grasp on Ace’s hair in a move that allowed their embrace to go in either direction.

“Or is this just sex for you?”

Ace narrowed his eyes into the darkness as he weighed the option of answering honestly against the physical contact, something he himself initiated. The decision paralysis was short-lived when he slid his hands underneath the unbuttoned shirt, not voicing his answer and Marco catching his meaning easily as teeth sunk into his neck without warning.

A flip had switched quickly in their standoff and Ace found himself unable to hold on as Marco took control. He groaned softly when he ground his hips down against the older man who returned the movement with enthusiasm, the friction becoming an unbearable itch with their clothes getting in the way.

They were doing this, _fuck,_ they were doing this.

Ace keened high in his throat as pulled Marco’s shirt off of his shoulders, dragging his hands down to the metal clasps catching together and fumbling with the pant buttons. Marco pulled away to give permission to the effort before impatience shone through and Ace was turned around, placed roughly on the bed with little removal of teeth and tongue on his neck.

It was enough to make Ace become more open with need. He rutted his hips upwards against the hand that was easing the tight pressure around his cock as the buckle loosened, sighing appreciatively as the layers standing between the skin-to-skin friction was peeled off one by one. Marco had let go of his neck now, trailing kisses down to his collarbone and chest in a touch Ace chased without hesitation and arched his back more into the warmth.

Ace stared into the darkness above, his mind wandering as he let himself merely become blank slate for the stimuli, nerves lighting up under the hands and lips touching his body. Marco had been moving slowly along his skin and the hesitation made him dizzy as he was at the mercy of whatever pace the man above him would set. If he had his way, Ace would already be three fingers full with no time to let his thoughts materialize into anything but mindless pleasure.

But he knew Marco, and he knew that patience would reward him in the end.

Ace threaded his fingers into the blonde hair as Marco settled on around his chest, laying kisses around his nipples before taking one into his mouth in a move that made Ace moan openly as it went straight to his cock.

“Oh _god._ ” He groaned, his hips rutting upwards against Marco’s hold that kept him still and feeling his eyes roll back at the stimulation. It was good – _god_ , _it was good_ – and Ace was sure to lace each vocalization with encouragement at the touch.

Marco seemed less responsive to the silent push to continue, instead working more on Ace’s chest with hands roaming leisurely along his skin, the intent muddied behind more drags of his tongue that made Ace’s cock twitch against his stomach. Marco was taking his time now, a stark contrast from the first time they had come together like this and Ace huffed with exasperation at the need to explore his body with such restraint.

He signaled his confusion with a hand over Marco’s, trying to guide the hand holding him down towards the untouched arousal pooling between his legs and Marco turning his palm into Ace’s own.

“ _Marco._ ” Ace hissed, frustration mounting as he couldn’t hide his impatience anymore and Marco merely threaded their fingers together, holding his hand in gesture that Ace wanted to crawl away from. It was too soft, too gentle and Ace didn’t know what to make of it when Marco pulled away from him, letting his eyes explore the freshly bitten skin.

“I’ve never said this out loud,” Marco mused, pointed ignorance of the turmoil he was causing as he pressed another kiss that made Ace inhale sharply, “But, I like that you don’t have many tattoos. Gives me a chance to see a little more of you.”

Marco’s voice was full of admiration that Ace found himself all too aware of as he was looked down at. Ace wouldn’t say he agreed with that sentiment, his tattoos each holding a purpose for him that wasn’t merely meant to be a conversation starter. They were meaningful things that reminded him of who he was, who _he_ was in a distinct separation from the inescapable similarities.

Ace would get as many as it took to not think of the late pirate king, the man who made him want to cover himself in proclamations that he wasn’t a product of the world’s grudges with his father.

“I like my tattoos, you know.” Ace corrected in a rejection of the compliment, a response that got him a low chuckle as Marco brought his hand to his lips.

“I know, I just like you more than you like them.” Marco murmured against his knuckles, kissing softly, and making the heat rush to Ace’s face as he realized what was going on.

He didn’t need to be romanced, sweet nothings a useless thing for him when he was already strung up by the tail of his desire like this. Marco was already too close for comfort and Ace found his chest tightening at the idea that he intended to continue this charade.

“…shut up.” Ace said, the edge lost in his voice as he tried to remind both of them why they were here. The harsh tone seemed to go right over Marco’s head as he returned right back to leaving trails along skin, the weight of his kisses now making Ace shudder at the way each one still sent electricity up his spine. He let out a breathless moan as he felt warmth pass along his cock, Marco’s lips dangerously close to his aching cock.

“Just get it over – _ah_.”

The demand fell to the wayside as Ace felt a hand on the inside of his thigh, spreading his legs and making room for Marco who settled between his knees and continued the gentle assault on Ace’s body. Ace tensed as stubble grazed against the delicate skin of his inner thigh, Marco’s other hand rubbing circles with his thumb and making Ace squeeze his eyes shut at the strokes chipping away at his resistance.

Marco kept his thumb moving as they sat in silence, the two of them soaking in the others presence quietly and leaving Ace to wonder what was on the others mind.

Just what was he doing?

“…I’m sorry I didn’t stop them earlier.”

Ace’s eyes snapped open at the comment from below, Marco’s arm hooked underneath his knee as he talked. There was a passing moment of confusion before the implications dawned on him, forcing Ace to ask the question he already knew the answer to.

“What are you talking about?” Ace asked, barely convincing himself of his ignorance.

“I think you already know.” The older man answered simply, digging nails into skin as Ace pulled away from him instinctively at the admission. Ace felt the blood wash from his face as Marco continued talking, held in place so he couldn’t escape the older man’s gaze upon him.

“You were thinking about him again, weren’t you?”

Ace swallowed harshly at how easily he’d been read.

“I…I wasn’t.” He rasped, knowing that Marco could feel his heart pounding under his fingertips, pulse racing against his thigh.

“…you matter so much, to me, to everyone, Ace.”

Ace sucked in a rattling breath as he tried to settle his thoughts, nerves winding around one another as Marco placed tender emotions at his feet.

“…I know.”

In the dark, he could hear the sounds of shuffling from Marco reaching up next to him, hands grazing past his ear and the idea of having large hands cradling his head again made him hold his breath in anticipation. He waited patiently for the touch, suddenly bracing for it, and having something akin to disappointment settle when he realized Marco was reaching under his pillow.

“What?” Ace spoke barely above a whisper as the sounds of scraping metal rang into the room and he could identify it the lid of the lube tin loosening. More heat had flushed his face now and it was as if Ace could feel his own flames, embarrassment rising quickly to meet the slight disappointment and he pushed it away.

Ace wasn’t starving for such affections, he decided.

A moan escaped his lips as he felt slick fingertips prodding at his entrance, pushing in with Ace relaxing to meet them. The movement had started tortuously slow and the younger moved his hips to urge him faster, a request that Marco obliged when he picked up the pace much to Ace’s delight.

“You’re so special, Ace.” Marco’s voice was heavy, still moving his fingers in a movement that would make it even more uneasy for Ace when he felt the weight of the words fall upon him. “So, so fucking special.”

Ace grabbed onto the pillow and buried his face into the cloth as Marco spoke, still hearing him over the sounds of his own muffled moans as the sentiments gnawed at him. He wanted so badly for the words to cut into him like a knife, become something painful that left scars with each drag along his skin.

But instead, they would settle on him like a blanket, suffocating and warm and full of things he couldn’t let himself hold.

“Everyday, I’m grateful to have met you.”

“ _Stop.”_ Ace choked, feeling the anxiety gather as Marco held him carefully and spoke without complication. He wasn’t being malicious when he tried to speak to the things they’d talked about in private, when Ace was feeling vulnerable during night watch on the ship with Marco as his only companion.

Marco was the only one privy to the inner workings of his mind. It was in that understanding that the things he said held such sincerity that Ace couldn’t rationalize away.

“I’m so happy you’re here.”

Ace’s skin lit up at the movement of Marco’s hands on his body in a hostile retreat from the comfort. It was a cruel irony that fire would only become another part of him – destruction waiting on his fingertips but only for others, never for someone who wanted nothing more than to welcome it with open arms. It was in this they would become something of an untouchable desire and a utility for his anxieties. If he couldn’t escape the hold, he would reject it the only way he knew how.

Fire wasn’t a thing to be touched, to be held like a precious item.

“Please…” He pleaded, softly and without the kind of harsh refusal that his body displayed as it tried to fight back. Ace wouldn’t look down at him, not while he was becoming so volatile at the mere idea of what Marco’s treatment of him could mean. He could feel the contrast of body heat against his fire, skin cool against the flames and dragging forward the awareness of the unbalanced contact.

Marco wasn’t healing himself.

Not while he trailed kisses along Ace’s calf and the fire followed as if trying to sterilize him from the contact. The feeling of being burned was foreign to Ace now that he had the ability to become the source, but he wasn’t ignorant of what it could do to, what it meant to see flesh turn from brown to black easily at the exposure.

“What are you –” Ace began, finding his voice as the realization of harm set in and having it die in a harsh whine as a grip on his thighs sent him reeling. Marco wasn’t saying anything, instead giving him a choice in the form of more tender brushes on his skin, more focus on HIM that made the attempt to shed his corporeal state more obvious.

If he was going to become something unrecognizable and angry then Marco would accept what it meant to be part of that destruction. They would go together, no matter the direction.

Ace grit his teeth as he stared at the ceiling, the rising heat radiating through the room only turning to residual warmth when the fire finally dissipated.

“There you go…”

Ace felt the vibrations of a hum against his skin as Marco praised him, everything else falling into words he couldn’t catch over his pulse ringing in his ears. He was already overwhelmed at how much care Marco was taking to prepare him, the delicate touch making pleasure and guilt fight for dominance with each passing second.

There was nothing for him to do but take what Marco would give.

“ _Ah!”_

A push of the other man’s fingers would put an end to Ace’s conflict as his eyes rolled from the pleasure, toes curling against Marco’s back as he let out a breathless moan and clawed helplessly at the pillow above his head. Sprawled over Marco’s body like this meant he had little opportunity to anchor himself as the knot coiled in his groin, instead forced to grasp onto the other man like he was a lifeline.

For all he knew, that was the point.

Ace couldn’t focus on anything but the feeling of fingers stretching around tight muscle, Marco twisting and spreading his fingers with ease. He was acutely aware of how Marco would adjust based on the reaction he got out of the quickly crumbling body below him, encouraging him unconsciously through the sounds spilling freely out of him.

“Beautiful.” Marco spoke with that ever present adoration, his other hand moving up Ace’s leg as if committing every part of him to memory. Ace hiccupped on a moan as a large hand cradled his foot, a new outlet for the tension in his body as toes wrapped around Marco’s palm, a feeling of security given as the rest of him fell apart.

Ace didn’t have to dissect what was being said between them as Marco held him, each touch on his body done with intent that made his head spin. It was maddening how much he wanted to crawl away and grasp tightly onto him all at the same time. His night was spent thinking about how much he would rather disappear, and Marco was doing everything to put a spotlight on him.

Worse still was how much Ace started to believe in his adulation, a sentiment that he neither wanted nor deserved.

A desperate whine escaped Ace’s lips as he felt the fingers withdraw and a sudden emptiness take over him. He was close, desire on the forefront of his mind and making him more open than he cared to be in this position. Marco hadn’t moved from his spot and Ace sat up, finally meeting his gaze as he cast aside his doubts for only a moment.

“What do you want?” Marco asked, a question that Ace hesitated to answer and one that made the blood rushing under his skin heat up even more. The older man was still calm, still so _cool_ in a contrast that made Ace squirm as he pulled the leg hooked around Marco’s shoulder down, trying to coax him forward and the other not taking the bait.

“Please…” Ace whispered, want apparent in his tone as he tried to meet Marco halfway. He could see the way Marco’s lips curled into a small smile at this, continuing his tease as fingertips trailed along the top of his feet and lingering along the ridges before leaning down to kiss him.

Things had shifted between them, Ace now returning any show of affection with an urgency present in the way he melted into the kiss, open-mouthed and needy for the touch. He moaned against the tongue quickly making his head light as Marco wrapped a hand around his cock, skin hot and slick against his own with each pump making him grip the sheets harder as the blissful ache ran up his spine.

“Marc –”

Ace could barely get the name out before he was twitching in Marco’s palm, his lip taken into teeth as his words dissolved into more moans and rutting into the hand driving him closer to climax. Ace’s arms shook as he tried to remain upright, strength faltering and he reached a shaky hand up to Marco in an attempt to find his bearings as he felt the tight knot coiling, pressure building from the approaching climax.

“I’m gonna –”

His sentence broke off into a high-pitched cry as he came, nails digging into the nape of Marco’s neck as he tumbled into ecstasy. Marco was against him now, praising him with whispers of how good he is, how much he loves seeing him like this as he guided him through the waves crashing over him.

Ace sighed as let himself cling to Marco the way he wanted to, his body trembling from the aftershocks as Marco continued to move on him until he was begging for something more.

“Ace,”

Ace kept his grip on Marco’s neck as he tried to come back to reality, emptiness and greed working in tandem as oxygen escaped him and his chest heaved in an attempt to catch up. He felt the misty warmth of skin on skin as Marco laid him gently down back onto the bed, their foreheads touching together as he closed the gap between their bodies and Ace felt the press of Marco’s cock at his entrance.

“I love you.”

 _Shut up._ The words sat on the tip of Ace’s tongue, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it again when Marco held his hand and their fingers intertwined as he pressed forward inside of him. Ace buried his head into the crook of Macro’s shoulder as the pressure increased, thoughts only full of the feeling of their bodies connecting together.

“It doesn’t matter what anyone’s made you think.” Marco whispered as Ace clung to him, his fingers tight in their grip on the other’s shoulder as he tried to adjust to the stretch. He wrapped his legs around the older commander, tilting his head back as Marco littered his neck with more kisses.

“You deserve to be here. I need you to know that.”

The words would sink in without restraint as he held Ace close, body heat passing between them as they embraced. Ace cried out with each roll of Marco’s hips driving him closer to the point of complete collapse as the utter rejection had made way for indulgence. He felt heat creeping on his spine as he tightened around Marco, head dragging along his prostate with each movement punctuated by more sweet words in his ears.

Ace found himself wrapped further around the security of the body blanketing his, trying to push away the guilt of latching onto that feeling and losing himself in the emotions flooding in.

He couldn’t.

He _should._

_He wanted it._

More things fighting for dominance until the idea of taking advantage of it was too much to bear and a familiar weight settled in his mind as his thoughts clouded.

“Ace? Hey, are you okay?”

Ace blinked as a hand cupped his face, the wetness on his cheeks being swept away and he felt the fog wash at the healing traces of the phoenix flames cooling the warmth. Marco was above him now, looking at him with concern that sent more cracks in his armor and Ace swallowed at the fresh tears gathering in his eyes again.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” He insisted, tears falling freely above the hands that didn’t pull away as they were covered in evidence of the opposite. Ace was all the more grateful when Marco didn’t comment, instead pressing a kiss to his forehead, hand sliding along his hair in a touch Ace would lean into without thought.

Ace had been on the receiving end of Marco’s healing flames many times before, his own recklessness made healing such wounds a regular thing and he was used to the way the pain would lessen at the sweeping chill. He knew that Marco didn’t see any wounds on his face, nothing superficial that would disappear under the passing touch, but they’d shared enough things unspoken for Ace to only feel more at ease.

Marco was content to shower him love until he drowned in it.

He let out a strangled sob when Marco tilted him forward, the new angle driving him in deeper and making his eyes roll back in utter bliss at the way skin meets skin as he’s filled. Their lips connected again, something unrestrained and hungry behind the way Marco tasted him while his delicate approach faltered, and he grew rougher in his pace leaving Ace to grasp at his hair in a scramble for purchase.

“Marco, I can’t – It’s co – _Marco…_ ” Ace choked between thrusts, arching his back as he felt the waves of pleasure pull back and wash over him again with greater intensity. His throat was strained from crying out, climax building up inside of him again with so much tension he could _snap_ at the steady motion of Marco’s hips meeting his.

He could only feel as Marco dug his fingers into skin, bruising and possessive in his hold as Ace unraveled underneath him.

“Come on, just let go.” Marco murmured, panting against Ace’s mouth as he kept pushing into him, fucking him past the point of release as he came and his body shook from the relentless assault on his sweet spots. Marco’s name hung on his lips like a mantra while he pulled him close, a reaction that would only make the man above him come with a loud groan of his own as his pace grew sloppy and frantic between them.

He sounded graceless, awed by the mere feeling of burying deep into the tight heat and Ace stuttered out a satisfied sigh at the feeling of warm release. Marco laid lazily against him, the two of them breathing in the others scent as the sounds diffused into comfortable silence. Ace moaned softly as Marco cradled his head, wrapping him into a hug while he pulled out and continued keeping him close.

Turning them on their sides, there would a passing moment of silence before Ace would feel a tight squeeze around his body, his arms that laid at his sides in Marco’s hold now reaching up to meet the embrace. Ace listened for the breathy chuckle as Marco nuzzled gently into Ace’s hair, pouring more gentle devotion onto him as if it still wasn’t enough.

“I’ll always be here for you, Ace.”

Marco would card his fingers through his hair as he repeated those words and Ace felt the tears sting at his eyes again. It was a quiet reminder, one that Ace would hold close as he sat in the arms of the other who cherished those features that made him lose himself in despair at the thought.

No matter how much he wanted to, he never could escape those reminders of his existence.

How he came to be, and the walking resemblances were a burden he would carry much like the tattoo on his back. But much like the contrast between the fires that burned and the ones that healed, he could find some solace in the fact that they would each bring something different.

Maybe, just maybe, they weren’t the same.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for any feedback you give this fic! I really enjoyed writing it and I hope to explore these two just a little bit more haha.


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